DefenceTalkThe government of the Netherlands is following through on an earlier pledge to commit a EUR100 million ($112 million) real-term increase to the defense budget on an annual basis with an earmark of an extra EUR220 million ($248 million) under its fiscal year 2016 budget. With the country’s current inflation rate around 0.8 percent the […]https://www.defencetalk.com/dutch-government-plans-to-bolster-defense-spending-in-2016-65440/

DefenceTalkThe Netherlands Ministry of Defense is adding Raytheon Company’s (NYSE: RTN) Excalibur Ib artillery rounds to its arsenal under a previously announced foreign military sales agreement, underscoring growing international interest in the precision-guided projectile. The Netherlands is the second Excalibur lb customer in Europe after Sweden, the U.S. government’s development partner for the 155 mm […]https://www.defencetalk.com/netherlands-orders-raytheon-excalibur-ib-precision-munitions-65310/

DefenceTalkA dozen life-saving Bushmasters are going into production in Bendigo for export to the Netherlands, after the country’s Ministry of Defence ordered new vehicles from Thales Australia. The vehicles will complement the 86 Bushmasters previously purchased by the Dutch customer between 2006 and 2009, and will be delivered by the middle of 2016. Thales Australia […]https://www.defencetalk.com/netherlands-orders-12-new-bushmasters-64775/

DefenceTalkThe Royal Netherlands Air Force’s Pilots will train in Italy on Alenia Aermacchi’s jets in service with the Italian Air Force, thanks to the agreement that has been signed by the Chiefs of Staff of the two Air Forces in Milan last week that envisages the detachment of an instructor and two student pilots of […]https://www.defencetalk.com/the-royal-netherlands-air-force-pilots-will-train-on-aermacchi-m-346-aircraft-64158/

DefenceTalkThe State Department has made a determination approving a possible Foreign Military Sale to the Netherlands for MQ-9 Reapers and associated equipment, parts and logistical support for an estimated cost of $339 million. The Defense Security Cooperation Agency delivered the required certification notifying Congress of this possible sale today. Also provided are an Initial Spares […]https://www.defencetalk.com/the-netherlands-to-buy-mq-9-reapers-62840/

DefenceTalkChina’s President Xi Jinping touches down in the Netherlands on Saturday for his first-ever Europe tour, with the continent in a diplomatic frenzy after Russia’s absorption of the Crimea. Xi is expected to land at Amsterdam’s Schiphol airport shortly after noon (1100 GMT), where he’ll be welcomed by Dutch King Willem-Alexander and Queen Maxima as […]https://www.defencetalk.com/chinas-xi-on-first-europe-tour-as-ukraine-crisis-deepens-59103/

DefenceTalkThe F-16 has unequivocally proven its worth for the armed forces in intervention and stabilization operations. In the coming decades, we will continue to require fighter aircraft. After comparing the candidates in 2001 and 2008, and updating the relevant information in 2013, the government has decided, on operational, financial and economic grounds, to select the […]https://www.defencetalk.com/netherlands-government-statement-on-f-35-jsf-49107/

DefenceTalkThe Netherlands’ military partnership with the Chinese armed forces is to be expanded, the defence ministry announced Monday. Chinese General Hou Shu Sen spoke on Monday with the Dutch military top brass, General Tom Middendorp. The idea is to strengthen maritime cooperation in particular. The navies of the two countries already work in partnership on […]https://www.defencetalk.com/netherlands-military-partnership-with-china-expanded-48490/

DefenceTalkThe Defense Security Cooperation Agency notified Congress May 17 of a possible Foreign Military Sale to the Netherlands for the continuation of a Continental United States (CONUS) -based Royal Netherlands Air Force (RNLAF) F-16 Formal Training Unit (FTU)and associated equipment, parts, training and logistical support for an estimated cost of $191million. The Government of the […]https://www.defencetalk.com/the-netherlands-f-16-pilot-training-and-logistics-support-47835/

DefenceTalkThe second Lockheed Martin F-35 Lightning II for the Netherlands rolled out of the F-35 production facility on March 2. This is the latest step in the production process leading to its eventual assignment to Eglin AFB, Fla., later this summer. The Netherlands is planning to use this conventional takeoff and landing (CTOL) jet, known […]https://www.defencetalk.com/2nd-f-35-for-the-netherlands-rolls-out-of-f-35-production-facility-47086/